Harper a Dictator?

[prestontakata]

Canada no longer a democracy

All of the research I've done makes it look like Harper is turning into a dictator. Almost like Ferdinand Marcos came into control in the Philippenes and Saddam Hussein in Iraq. Even though he wants to turn parliament back in January, he doesn't have too. This really scares me that a major North American nation might turn into a dictatorship...

Please save Canada before it's too late. :canada:

 

[DurkaDurka]

That's a bit of a stretch, Harper used legal parliamentary maneuvers to prorogue government, desperate perhaps but nothing approaching a dictatorship.

Parliament resumes in January, if he receives a no-confidence vote on the budget we go back to the polls or the opposition tries to form a government. That's democracy.

 

[Tyr]

Canada no longer a democracy

All of the research I've done makes it look like Harper is turning into a dictator. Almost like Ferdinand Marcos came into control in the Philippenes and Saddam Hussein in Iraq. Even though he wants to turn parliament back in January, he doesn't have too. This really scares me that a major North American nation might turn into a dictatorship...

Please save Canada before it's too late. :canada:

A "dictator" is someone who has an agenda. Harper doesn't have one and never has.

If he disappeared from the political scene tomorrow, do you actualluy think anybody would notice?

 

[JLM]

Canada no longer a democracy

All of the research I've done makes it look like Harper is turning into a dictator. Almost like Ferdinand Marcos came into control in the Philippenes and Saddam Hussein in Iraq. Even though he wants to turn parliament back in January, he doesn't have too. This really scares me that a major North American nation might turn into a dictatorship...

Please save Canada before it's too late. :canada:

Watching the news tonight I just learned that Flaherty (finance minister) is calling the financial experts in the private sector to Ottawa for advice on things to include (or exclude) in the next budget. So obviously this gov't is listening to the (informed) people, which is exactly opposite to what all the whiners were whining about. Obviously before he did this he would have had to run it past Harper for his approval. That doesn't coincide with the definition of a dictator that I learned in school.

 

[Cliffy]

JLM,

Are we talking about the same economic experts whose greed got us into this mess in the first place.

"An expert is a has been drip under pressure."

 

[JLM]

JLM,

Are we talking about the same economic experts whose greed got us into this mess in the first place.

"An expert is a has been drip under pressure."

Possibly - although I would question it that Jimmy Pattison is greedy- the man gave up six months of his life to overee the operation of Expo 86 for $1 and just lately he contributed $1 milion for the restoration of the wind damage in Stanley Park. Have to give the Devil his due.

 

[Tyr]

Watching the news tonight I just learned that Flaherty (finance minister) is calling the financial experts in the private sector to Ottawa for advice on things to include (or exclude) in the next budget. So obviously this gov't is listening to the (informed) people, which is exactly opposite to what all the whiners were whining about. Obviously before he did this he would have had to run it past Harper for his approval. That doesn't coincide with the definition of a dictator that I learned in school.

He's talking about a DEFICIT in the $20-30 Billion range. Remember when Harpoon said "we will not run a DEFICIT!!!!"

 

[Dexter Sinister]

All of the research I've done makes it look like Harper is turning into a dictator.

That's about the last thing I'm concerned about in these circumstances. It's pretty tough to be a dictator in a parliamentary democracy where the rules of responsible government in the British tradition apply, especially when there's an aroused and feisty opposition, an active and engaged news media, and a seriously pissed off electorate. It could happen here of course, just like it could happen anywhere (Hitler was elected, remember, in what by any reasonable standard was a civilized, educated, and cultured society), but the odds are heavily against it. Rest easy, it's not going to happen. Not this time...

 

[JLM]

He's talking about a DEFICIT in the $20-30 Billion range. Remember when Harpoon said "we will not run a DEFICIT!!!!"

A good politician adjusts his forecasts according to the conditions at the time, not being able to adapt to conditions is a recipe for certain failure.

 

[Francis2004]

A good politician adjusts his forecasts according to the conditions at the time, not being able to adapt to conditions is a recipe for certain failure.

JLM, there is a difference between adjusting a forecast and either avoiding the conditions and or trying to make people believe they do not exist in your world when everyone else is being hit by it ( and it is affecting you but you deny it ) to gain a Majority in an Election or Govern as if you had one..

At some point reality must kick in whether you want to face the facts or not..

 

[Cliffy]

Sooner or later, reality is gonna kick all those who are in denial in the face. But then our Utopian society has been living in denial for a very long time. When a bubble bursts in real life, does it ever come back?

 

[Vanni Fucci]

Sooner or later, reality is gonna kick all those who are in denial in the face. But then our Utopian society has been living in denial for a very long time. When a bubble bursts in real life, does it ever come back?

Obviously, people were able to forget the Mulroney years and vote in an even nastier batch of Cons...

The Libs had their Sponsorship scandal and will at some point be voted back in...

The NDP will still be scrambling for sloppy seconds...

So, I don't think it's so much a bubble as a mobius strip...

 

[Walter]

A "dictator" is someone who has an agenda. Harper doesn't have one and never has.

He has a secret agenda.

 

[JLM]

JLM, there is a difference between adjusting a forecast and either avoiding the conditions and or trying to make people believe they do not exist in your world when everyone else is being hit by it ( and it is affecting you but you deny it ) to gain a Majority in an Election or Govern as if you had one..

At some point reality must kick in whether you want to face the facts or not..

YOu got that right, but then that's the way of the politician, regardless of party, lies and hypocracy. You think they'd smarten up and just as the one little phrase "if things remain as they are now".

 

[SirJosephPorter]

Watching the news tonight I just learned that Flaherty (finance minister) is calling the financial experts in the private sector to Ottawa for advice on things to include (or exclude) in the next budget. So obviously this gov't is listening to the (informed) people, which is exactly opposite to what all the whiners were whining about. Obviously before he did this he would have had to run it past Harper for his approval. That doesn't coincide with the definition of a dictator that I learned in school.

JLM, and just how does that make Fidel NOT a dictator? Are you saying that a dictator never seeks advice from economic experts?

A dictator is interested in hanging on to the power. But that does not mean that he does not care about the well being of the economy. He could be a dictator and still seek advice from competent economic experts on how to manage the economy.

 

[SirJosephPorter]

Of course Fidel is a dictator; currently he does not have the confidence of the Parliament. Anybody who insists on governing contrary to wishes of the Parliament is a dictator.

Until he regains the confidence of the Parliament in January (or loses the no confidence vote), he will remain Fidel in my book.

 

[SirJosephPorter]

He's talking about a DEFICIT in the $20-30 Billion range. Remember when Harpoon said "we will not run a DEFICIT!!!!"

Tyr, people have short memories, they have already forgotten the economic turmoil, the huge deficits racked up by Mulroney. I suppose each generation has to find out first hand what happens when Conservatives are in power.

One would think that one generation would learn from the mistakes of previous generation, but that rarely happens. Each generation has to make its own mistakes, has to experience the economic agony inflicted by Conservative government firsthand.

But I will say this for Canadians, once they see conservatives in action, they do vote them out in a hurry, usually after one majority (Mulroney would never have got the second majority, if not for the free trade issue)..

Usually a conservative majority paves the way for a prolonged Liberal rule, it remains to be seen if that happens this time around.

 

[Praxius]

A "dictator" is someone who has an agenda. Harper doesn't have one and never has.

If he disappeared from the political scene tomorrow, do you actualluy think anybody would notice?

I would notice..... work would actually be getting done in our government and I'd start looking around all confused saying "Wtf is going on around here? I never seen this before in a long time..... it's sorta hazzy, I kinda remember it...... I'm scared..... Oh wait, that's just the government actually doing it's damn job for once.... phew."

 

[JLM]

JLM, and just how does that make Fidel NOT a dictator? Are you saying that a dictator never seeks advice from economic experts?

A dictator is interested in hanging on to the power. But that does not mean that he does not care about the well being of the economy. He could be a dictator and still seek advice from

I think you are right Sir Rupe, guess being a dictator isn't necessarily a bad thing......... as long as he's doing the right thing.

 

[JLM]

JLM, and just how does that make Fidel NOT a dictator? Are you saying that a dictator never seeks advice from economic experts?

A dictator is interested in hanging on to the power. But that does not mean that he does not care about the well being of the economy. He could be a dictator and still seek advice from

I think you are right Sir Rupe, guess being a dictator isn't necessarily a bad thing......... as long as he's doing the right thing.

P.S. Sir Rupe, the more I think about it I think a good leader has to be a bit of a dictator (after he's listened to all the imput and has the facts)- all it means is he's made a decision, he's sticking to it and he's the boss. Not really a bad thing.